The Other Animals

By: Daniel Mallory Ortberg, Ken Liu, R. Eric Thomas, Lulu Miller, Shruti Swamy, Max McClure, Kaeli Swift, Kelly Weinersmith

Narrated by: Ken Liu, Lulu Miller, Max McClure, Shruti Swamy, Daniel Mallory Ortberg, R. Eric Thomas, Kaeli Swift, Kelly Weinersmith

Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

[Explicit Content]
In The Other Animals, a worm breaks up with a snail, a vulture contemplates the act of killing, a whale falls in love with a song, and more. 

This funny, moving collection of eight stories - written by a crew of scientists, literary writers, and comics, and informed by animal behavioral science - explores what animal perspectives can show humans about the world we all share. It includes stories by Daniel Mallory Ortberg (Something That May Shock and Discredit You), R. Eric Thomas (Here for It), Ken Liu (The Paper Menagerie), Lulu Miller (Why Fish Don’t Exist), Kelly Weinersmith (Soonish), Shruti Swamy (O’Henry Award winner), Max McClure (Grist), and Kaeli Swift (Biosphere). 

Cover art by Noah Grigni.

©2019 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

So Unbelievably Gorgeous

The Editor's Note had me -- truly, really -- in tears. I couldn't stop listening once the stories started -- the prose, the voices, the sound design -- all so lush and gripping. This is a very very, very special thing.

Explore the Umwelt

The weirdest thing about listening to this was how natural it seemed. It felt perfectly reasonable to contemplate the concerns of invertebrates or carrion eaters. The performers were great, and their reading, the unusual circumstances, and the quality of the writing come together to make very memorable characters. Previously, I have never really enjoyed short stories or audiobooks, but this collection seems to have all the benefits of those media without any of the pitfalls. I'm recommending this book to my friends and family, and I guess, by writing this review, to a whole world of strangers on the internet. Give it a listen.

Sweet collection & delightfully read

It was so lovely to hear stories from the perspective of animals that I have often wondered about. The fact that the pieces were read by the authors was really special and loved it all the way through. I am *extremely* picky about audio narrators and this really delivered on that front with a nice rotation of voices. A few of the stories are going to really stick in my head and I am left with a rekindled desire to imagine the universe from the perspective of different creatures.

New Perspectives

Some of the most weirdly affecting and thought-provoking fiction I have encountered in a while. I felt like the anthropomorphizing was kept to a minimum and instead we are invited to share an experience with an animal on their terms, and the fact that the result is so beautiful and moving is a testament to the transportive powers of the authors involved. A real treat to step outside of our normal human-centered way of looking at things, to see the world afresh.

Both Humane and Wild Nerdy Fun

This is a special anthology. Very original theme of animals personified. The nerd in me enjoyed the science of the animals. It was obvious the writers had done some research to play and make it informative and literary. It reminded me of The Disappearing Soon in its ability to bring science to literary life. I was intrigued by the humanity of the animals. Not only were there nuggets of truth about people in the animals, but the animal's observations of humanity were also enlightening. The anthology spans a gambit of human emotions with drama, hope, love, religious fervor, compulsion, loyalty, betrayal and humor. Most of the audio, sound effects and narration is immersive and engaging, at other times it was distracting and goofy. I like how more authors are taking risks to make their stories more technologically produced. I recommend this collection. It has more to give and enjoy and is worth three hours of your life. The short stories are perfect for short trips in the car, a workout or work commute.

Imaginative, visceral at times, and entertaining

Very glad to have picked this one up! A beautiful exploration of animality and humanity through a fictional lens.

Warm and thought provoking

This is a wonderful collection of short stories that laugh, cry, and think differently about the experience of animals. Having the authors read their own work makes the experience very intimate and the soundscapes are fun and colorful. Highly recommended!

Delightful Anthropomorphism!

Most story collections are a mixed bag of mediocre and bad, with only a couple of good ones. Most of these stories are unusually creative and quietly pleasing. With few exceptions, the narration is excellent, and each story is embellished with varying degrees of sound. I almost never ever give 5 stars. This one deserves it!

Lovely collection - funny and touching

This was a lovely read - a little set of quirky stories that invite the reader to consider new perspectives. They range widely in tone and focus, but that's part of the fun. Something here is guaranteed to touch you.